Hargey welcomes report on Community Wealth Building

Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey has said Community Wealth Building is more important than ever as she published the Expert Advisory Panel’s independent report and its 26 recommendations to deliver real and sustainable change.

Welcoming the report the Minister said: 

“I established an independent panel to review how we can grow and scale our Community Wealth Building approaches through a set of cross cutting recommendations to deliver real and sustainable change.

“I welcome the publication of the report which is ambitious and shines a light on how Executive Departments and Local Government can achieve the fundamental shifts we need to properly address poverty and the structural inequalities that exist in our communities.

“I want to thank the panel, who pushed forward this important piece of work. The publication of this report marks an important milestone in our journey and sets out a clear pathway for the next steps in implementing Community Wealth Building approaches here.”

The report, which was launched at an event at St Comgall’s Building with a wide range of Community sector organisations in attendance, considers the potential for improved social and economic outcomes by making policy, legislative and practical changes in a number of areas including Social Value, Community Rights, support for Social Enterprise, Social Finance, Real Living Wage and Workers Rights.

The panel was appointed in March of this year and chaired by Sarah McKinley, of the Democracy Collaborative, to produce a report and recommendations on the most effective and sustainable approach to embedding the principles of Community Wealth Building into departmental investment, policy and practice.

Chair of the Panel Sarah McKinley said:

“Community wealth building is a powerful tool for Northern Ireland to create resilience in this period of crisis, to address economic inequalities and imbalances, and to ground peace building efforts by giving communities greater control of their economic futures. 

“It has been an honor to serve on Minister Hargey’s Advisory Panel on Community Wealth Building to help think through the important role that central government has to play in supporting and growing the good work of communities across Northern Ireland to root and recirculate their great wealth for the benefit of those who live there.  I look forward to seeing Northern Ireland lead in this global movement for change.”

The report can be located on the Department’s website here

Notes to editors: 

1. Photo caption - Image One - Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey is pictured with panel member Joe Guinan.
2. Photo caption - Image Two - Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey is pictured with panel members Brendan Murtagh, Harry Connolly, Joe Guinan and David Hunter.
3. The panel membership comprised of Sarah McKinley as Chair, along with Joe Guinan, The Democracy Collaborative; Brendan Murtagh, QUB: David Hunter, Social Enterprise NI; and Harry Connolly, Fáilte Feirste Thiar.
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